


The Ghost that Haunts You

by mizufallsfromkumo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ghosts, Haunting, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Murder, Original Character Death(s), Past Character Death, Pining Lance (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 23:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16438601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: Shiro never really believed in the supernatural.Or that’s how it was…Before he died.However, after that he was...sensitiveto things.Not full on medium, like his friend Allura, or clairvoyant, or psyche, orwhatever.But sensitive to the other side, just so.  Enough to feel a presence lingering, or at times hear a whisper or see a faded shape.  Nothing more than ‘oh some other energy is here.’And that was why he suspected his roommate was...a ghost.





	The Ghost that Haunts You

**Author's Note:**

> Ta-da, this is my halloween fic for Shance. Thank you to everyone on tumblr who helped me figure out what to do. (And if you voted for the Vampire!Shiro and Ghost!Lance option, this could be a prequel to my idea for that story). 
> 
> I was a little lost on the plot, and there are time skips. It's not the best thing I've written, it feels a little rushed to me, but I do like how it turned out. So here you go.
> 
> And as mentioned there mentions of death, murder, and past abuse, but it is not in any explicated detail.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Shiro never really believed in the supernatural.

Not that it didn’t exactly  _ exist _ .  There were things the world and science could just not explain.  But that also doesn’t mean that it couldn’t explain it  _ eventually _ either.  He more so believed if someone experience something they believed to be supernatural...well maybe they did.

Or that’s how it was…

Before he died.

Only for like ten minutes or something.  The doctors and nurses were able to bring him back after some time.  Shiro was seriously thankful for their stubbornness...or maybe his stubbornness tell death to hang tight for a bit.  He’s not exactly  _ sure, _ but he’s thankful either way no one gave up and called it.

However, after that he was... _ sensitive  _ to things.

Not full on medium, like his friend Allura, or clairvoyant, or psyche, or  _ whatever _ .  But sensitive to the other side, just so.  Enough to feel a presence lingering, or at times hear a whisper or see a faded shape.  Nothing more than ‘oh some other energy is here.’

And that was why he suspected his roommate was...a ghost.

Or  _ something _ in that category.

There was always a tingling in the back of Shiro’s senses every time he interacted with Lance.  Not terrible, barely enough to be of notable concern, really. Or raise any sort of alarm bells in Shiro’s head, that would make him call Allura so she could help clear an entity form Shiro’s home. 

Shiro had always thought it was like feelings of attraction or something.  Because Lance is really nice looking, with a heart of pure gold sunshine. If Shiro didn’t develop even the smallest crush or warm fuzzy feelings from interacting with Lance...well, he might have been concerned.

But given further though, it was something... _ else _ .

Something more like the tingles and a feelings of a presence that hadn’t moved on.

Well,  _ that _ and the fact that his landlady had a picture of Lance in her house.

An old dated looking one.  

With Lance beaming, arms looped around a clearly younger version of his landlady, Veronica, and some other woman.  The three of them dressed like they were at some fancy event, enjoying themselves.

Veronica had smiled her usual old fragile looking smile when she saw Shiro staring.  Briefly stated that two other people were her younger siblings, Rachel and Lance. Before handing Shiro a folder of papers he came for and sending him on his way.

And to be fair, the idea of Lance being a ghost did explain... _ a lot _ about him.

Like how Lance never left the Brownstone.  He claimed to work from home and have family money.  Shiro had never thought much of it. After all he was gone most the day anyway, for all he knew Lance could leave then.

Or how he never ate anything in front of Shiro.   

Or how he was always quiet moving around the house.  Honestly at times it felt like he just materialized out of the floor boards sometimes.  He would just appear in a room.

Or the fact that Shiro had never seen Lance’s bedroom, or office, or any space that was  _ Lance’s _ . But it was a big Brownstone.  And Lance never failed to appear when ever Shiro was looking for him.  So Shiro hadn’t exactly done the  _ most _ exploring.  But still, they were only so big.

Or why he never seemed to touch anything.  

And is sure as hell explained why Lance was just there when Shiro moved in.  Especially considering no one told Shiro there was another tenant living there. Which wasn’t an issue for Shiro, and at the price the rent on the place was...well it made  _ more _ sense there would be a roommate situation.  Not to mention it was Lance who had asked is Shiro was his new roommate, and he seemed surprised when Shiro started talking back to him.

So yeah, it made since.

But it was crazy...right?

His roommate wasn’t a ghost, he couldn’t be...

* * *

Lance Andres McClain disappeared nearly fifty ago.

Just packed a bag one night, told his roommate/suspected lover the time the brownstone and everything in it was his.  Including the money and objects in the safe. And he had new life to go to. Then just walked out the front door and disappeared  _ forever _ .  

It was very sudden.

It was very quick.

Or that was what all the old police reports and articles seemed to say.

Lance’s family and friends suspected he never actually left.  That his “roommate”, a man of simpler upbringing did something to him.  Did away with Lance before anyone could find out. Because it was extremely out of character for Lance to completely just drop everything and give it all to someone. 

Someone, who according to some reports, Lance had had altercations with.  And his sisters claimed he wanted it out of his home.

But in the end, the charges were dropped again the “roommate”, after a year or so of investigation and trails.  A judge claiming there wasn’t enough evidence to support a case. There was nothing to suggest that Lance didn’t just up and leave like was stated.  And the judge would no longer entertain a witch hunt against a good honest man.

And that was that.

Though, the man was found dead nearly a week later, when Lance’s family came for a few mementos at least.  Slipped and fell down the stairs, died instantly.

Shiro could only stare at his screen as he read each article over and over carefully.

Yeah…his roommate was a ghost.

And Shiro had no idea what to do about it.

* * *

“Hey, are you okay?”  Lance’s voice asked suddenly.

The sound caused Shiro to look up.  Finding the younger man...well older,  _ technically _ , if everything was true, peeking into the hallway from the opening of the front seating area.  An eyebrow raised, and lips in a looks curious grin that was both warm and encouraging to talk to.  Lance’s blue eyes were bright with concern.

No, Shiro was really not okay.

He felt quite far from being okay actually.

Mostly because he has no idea what was is suppose to do in regards to a roommate that he thought was normal but is actually a ghost.  A ghost who he could see and hear clearly, when everything else was usually so heavily veiled. Not even Allura claimed to see people so vividly when she did.

And calling Allura hadn’t helped figure anything out.

Because of course she had to go and point out that clearly Lance’s isn’t some kind vengeful ghost that doesn’t want his company.  As he’s actually been angry with Shiro once and not a single thing went flying. Nor had anything ever gone flying. So it was probably safe to assume that Lance was simply just  _ stuck _ in the land of the living.  

Unable to move on for one reason or another.

The nice thing for Shiro to do was to help.  After all, if what he told her was true, Lance had been dead for fifty years,  _ he _ deserves to move on and rest in peace.  He just needed to figure out what was keeping Lance back and go from there.

Which Shiro didn’t mind one bit doing.  

Lance had helped him so many times with nightmares and episodes so well.  His voice was like a guiding light out of it all. Even if it was at times just them seating in the living room at three in the morning in complete silence.  Or Lance just humming something till Shiro came back to himself enough to function. It would be like returning a favor.

But he also didn’t want to...because he  _ liked _ having Lance around.

_ A lot _ .

“It’s just...you look...kind of...”  Lance continued after a moment of Shiro just staring at him.  “I don’t know...freaked out. But not like the usual way you do…”

Shiro just blinked at him for a moment, before turning around kick of his shoes.  Fiddling with them more than necessary as he placed them by the door after hanging up his cout.

“It’s like you seen a ghost or something.”  Lance teased lightly behind him.

Like he always did when ever Shiro looked generally freaked out about something in his own head.  Only Shiro now noticed the nervous edge to it tone. Like he wasn’t sure how Shiro would take if he knew.

“I did.”  Shiro stated flatly.

Lance made a small noise is surprise.  And in the mirror above the hanger of coats, Shiro could see the other swallow and flinch at the words.  As well as flicker slightly in opacity levels, like he was just going to suddenly run.

“I know you’re a ghost, Lance.”  Shiro continued easily.

He turned to look at Lance, who took a slight step back.  His expression wide and panicked at first. Looking like he was scrambling for the something to say in defense, or through out a disarming comment about one thing or another.  But then his face melted into a more sadden expression.

Like he ultimately exacted something like this would happen.

“How did you find out?” Lance asked weakly.

“Honestly, I went to your sisters house for some paperwork for something and saw a picture of you.”  Shiro admitted after a moment. “You looked exactly the same, whereas Veronica is…”

“Old and wrinkly?  No longer youthful?”  Lance supplied with a slight girn.

“ _ Aged _ significantly.”  Shiro corrected with a small roll of his eyes at the other.  “I did some digging after for the name. Sort of figured it out with a few other obvious details.”

Lance grin faded away quickly as he glanced away from Shiro.  Turning to look at the window of the front room. Before he snuck a looked back to Shiro.

“I guess that means your going to leave now.”

“What... _ no _ , I’m not--why you think I’d want to leave?!”  Shiro asked in shock.

“Because that’s why everyone does when they suspect a ghost.”  Lance huffed as he crossed his arms and looked away again. But then he started to hug himself loosely.  “It’s what my brother did when my niece mentioned playing with me. It’s the family that moved in after them did same.  Only they booked it a lot faster. It’s what a handful of other tenants had done after I’ve tried to tell them something.  Everyone leaves. It’s fine.”

Shiro watched Lance carefully for a moment.

Then he signed.

“I’m not going to do that Lance.”  Shiro began warmly. “Partly because I will never found a rent as cheap as this place.  Partly because poor Mr. Garrett is going to ruin his new knee and hip taking his groceries up the stairs to his front door.  And partly because I know you, Lance, I’m not just going to up and leave cause I learned your a ghost.”

Lance turned to look up at Shiro sharply.

His arms tightly hugging himself for a moment before the started to relax just a bit.  Still guarding him a decent amount, but for more open to what Shiro might sigh.

“Sure, I wish you mentioned it sooner…”  Shiro huffed playfully. “Just for for disclosure sake so I didn’t look insane if anyone came over for a surprise visit, and didn’t see you.  But like I’m not going to leave  _ because  _ you are a ghost.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Lance.”  Shiro smiled out a small shrug as he moved closer to Lance.  “In fact I want to help you.” That caused Lance to raise an eyebrow.  “To move on.”

A weak smile spread across his lips.

* * *

“I don’t think I  _ can _ move on.”  Lance declared exasperated against the floor as he flopped back.  

Shiro turned to watch as the ghost sunk into the floorboards for a moment, before floating back out, and moving to sit up.  Hoving just a half an inch off the ground because he simply can.

Every since Shiro stated he knew Lance was a ghost, well the other took to being more ghostly.  Which took to some adjusting. Mostly because it is weird to just have your roommate walk through a wall all of a sudden.  For find them hoving close to the ceiling for one reason or another. Honestly Shiro’s sleep filled mind just can’t take it every well comes mornings.

But it was also nice to see Lance being a little more ghostly.

He seemed to actually enjoy some of the things he could do.

“Yes, you can.”  Shiro assured from his spot at the table.  He was looking over some old news paper clippings Mr. Garrett had from the time of Lance’s disappearance.  Trying to find a detail Lance maybe forgot after being a ghost for so long. “Allura assures me, all souls can.”

“Yeah, but--”

“It’s only been a week, Lance.”  Shiro said steadily. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I guess.”  Lance huffed as he flopped back down to lay on the floor.

A quietness settled over the two of them for a moment.

Shiro read over an old clipping about Lance’s family discovering Lance’s “roommate” dead at the base of the stairs.  It was pretty cut and dry that it was an accident. But Mr. Garrett had claimed he cut it out because he wondered if it was Lance in some way or form.  And it was the only reason. The whole thing really bothered the old man otherwise how it was like whatever happened with Lance died with the other.

“What about Richard Smith?”  Shiro asked.

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped.

“What about him?”  Lance growled darkly.

“I...well, Mr. Garrett has an article about his death, falling down the stairs.”  Shiro stated carefully. “He only has it because he thinks it was something you did one way or another.  Just...did you do it?”

Lance fell silent for a moment.  

“I’m not judging.”  Shiro stated simply.  “Nor am I going to call the ghost police.  I’m just...curious.”

Lance looked at Shiro for a moment.  Before he sighed and pushed himself to sit up straight.

“It was an accident, really.”  Lance admitted weakly as he pulled his legs up to his chest.  “He was bragging about getting the charges dropped. Rubbing it in just that he was going to get away with it all.  After what he did to me...I  _ so  _ angry...I just...I meant to scare him...but he fell backwards...and…”

Shiro nodded in understanding up where the rest of Lance’s story went.

“I didn’t regret it though, after.”  Lance continued in a small but audible voice.  “A part of me tried to feel guilty, but it was such a relief, that I really couldn’t.  Trust me, it’s not the reason I can’t move on.”

“Are you--”

“ _ Positive! _ End of discussion _ ” _  Lance hissed, before he suddenly rapidly sunk through the floor.

Shiro just sighed, and dropped his face in his hands.

* * *

“Shiro?”  Lance’s voice asked quietly through the darkness.  “Shiro, wake up.”

The bed dipped slightly, like Lance was putting his weight on the bed.  

And for half a second Shiro forgot Lance was a ghost in his sleep filled mind.  His hand went right through Lance’s chest as he peeled up his eyes and flicked on a light.  Not something that was ideal, but Shiro had also gotten use to Lance just being a ghost over the last few weeks.

Though waking Shiro up in the middle of the night was a new one.

“I have to tell you something.”  Lance continued.

“What is it?”  Shiro slurred out sleepily as he pushed himself to set up on his bad.

“I know why I can’t move on.”  Lance admitted as he turned down to look at the sheet of Shiro’s bed.  “In fact, I have known for some time...I just didn’t want to go yet...I”  Lance paused to peek up at Shiro for a second, before his eyes darted back down.  “...I wish I knew you when I was alive Shiro. You’re a nice guy.”

“Thank you,”  Shiro returned.  “But why are you waking up now to tell me this?   Why not wait till morning?”

“I’ve talked myself out of it enough recently.”  Lance admitted somberly. 

“Why?”  Shiro asked as he bit off a yawn.

“Well, for starters, it’s been forever since I’ve had someone to talk to.  I liked all the we did and talked about both before and after you knew what I was.”  Lance started gently. “Not to mention your actually really kind and nice. The opposite of Richard turned out to be.  So I’m going to show you something”

Shiro made an unintelligent sound.  

Lance giggled beside him for a moment before he bounced slightly to urge Shiro out a bed.  Pushing him slightly with his abilities of a ghost and easing Shiro to his feet. Before he sprang off the bed.

“Oh, and you’re going to need to grab a hammer.”

Shiro was still a little two clouded with sleep to question that.  Rather shuffling over to where they kept a tool kit in the hallway.  Fishing out the hammer with no real questions as Lance waiting at the start of the stairs for him.

When Shiro joined him, the ghost started to explain something as he slowly descended down the stairs.  Like how he meet Richard, and how he was a sweet guy. Kind and funny in all the right ways that made people trust and love him.  Made  _ Lance _ trust and love him.  Before it all turned sour, and Richard turned out to not be so kind.

The two of them got in one fight after another, and Lance never came out of top.  Richard would always come back to lick his wounds and speak sweet promises. But soon it became a cycle Lance couldn’t escape.  And all the hits and blows stopped having meanings and tangible frustrations behind them.

Eventually Lance had enough, and tried to put in end to it all for good.

It worked…

Just not in the way Lance had originally planned.

No, that plan was far more civil.  He packed Richard’s things, and offered him a thousand dollars straight up  _ cash _ to just get out of his house.  Another two thousand would be delivered wherever he was staying for Lance to never see him again.  No need for any cops or other people involved. Clean and simple.

But Richard got angry.

And Lance had already told Shiro how he died.

As Lance’s story finished, Shiro realized they were in the basement.  Standing in front of a one of the finished rooms in the basement.

“After everything, he put me in here.”  Lance stated as he pointed in the room, before entering.  “It’s partly why I can’t move on. I was never properly put to rest in way, just shoved in here and covered up.  The other part is may family never knew what happened to me, they suspected by they never knew. Richard killed me and he stuck me in here.”  Lance declared as he pointed at one of the walls.

Shiro suddenly understand why he had the hammer.

And he doesn’t hesitate to throw it at the wall.

* * *

“A dream, huh?”  Veronica asked in a knowing way old ladies ask.

Her old heavy voice bright with glee as she peered at Shiro as he helped her slide her coat back on.  Ever mindful of her shaking shoulders and hands. And overly thick glasses she always claimed to not need, but totally did.

Shay helped Mr. Garrett place his coat on as well, and fiddled with his scarf until he half swatted her away.  Claiming that sure he was old and falling apart some days, but he could handle putting on a scarf under his breath.  And the older man shoot Shiro a look as he chuckled at the words.

“Yes, a dream, Mrs. Mendez.”  Shiro said as Veronica fluffed her coat.  “It was so realistic I had to check if it was true.”

Veronica hummed as she looked Shiro up and down for a moment. 

“Sounds like a Lance move, if I’ve ever heard one.”  Mr. Garrett declared.

“Hunk!”  Veronica shrieked with a light hit to Mr. Garrett’s forearm as he laughed brightly.  “I mean you are not wrong, it is both over the top and simple at the same time. A very Lance move indeed, but you don’t have to say it!”

“It’s a  _ compliment _ .”  Mr. Garrett chuckled out, before he settled down a bit and turned his warm gaze to Shiro.  “Look, however it happened, I’m glad you did what you did. Even if it was tearing down drywall at one in the morning.  It’s nice to have some answers about what happened, and have a proper funeral for Lance after all this time.”

“Glad I could help.”  Shiro grinned as he moved to open the front door.

Mr. Garratt huffed loudly and waved him off.  Thanking Shiro for the lovely tea and afternoon, as Shay moved to help guide him down the stairs slowly.  

“Really, Shiro, thank you for finding Lance for us.”  Veronica stated as she moved past Shiro in the open door.  “Don’t worry about the wall, I won’t hold it against you.” And then she shuffled her own way down the stairs with a small wave.  

Shiro watched the three walk back to Mr. Garrett’s place three doors down.   Shuffling along the sidewalk chatting away. Before the stopped at the base of Mr. Garrett’s front staircase, and took to happily chatting with each other for a few more minutes.

With a small shake of his head, Shiro returned inside and locked the door.

“Old age has made them very chatty.”  Lance’s voice declare from the front room.

Shiro walked in to find the ghost curled up by the window spying out the street.  No doubt watching his sister and old friend chat about whatever they were. Quizatively watching them like he could just figure out what they were saying from so far away.

“What are you still doing here?”  Shiro asked as he dropped down in one of the chairs with a brief sigh.  He knew he still had a collection of dishes on the dining room table to wash.  “I thought you would have moved on by now.”

It had been a good week and have since Lance showed him where he body was hidden.  There had been so much going on after. Shiro hadn’t seen Lance much, if at all really in the time.  He half figured Lance moved on without a goodbye.

“Yeah, about that,”  Lance said as he turned to look at Shiro.  “It came up, I didn’t take it.”

Shiro wasn’t sure he heard that quite right.

“What?”

“I didn’t want to move on, Shiro.”  Lance clarified. “I like it here, with you.  I wanted to stay here. So I asked if I could, then told the light I didn’t care about the answer, I was staying any way.  And...ta-da.”

“You want to say here with me?”  Shiro asked eyes a raised eyebrow.  “Why?”

“A lot of reasons.”  Lance shrugged as a wide smile grew across his face.  “One being, rent and roommate situation in this place is  _ amazing _ .  Two, you’re very nice kind guy, that was  _ fantastic  _ to look at.  And three, I like you.”

“I like you too, Lance.”  Shiro smiled out genuinely.  “Like a lot, if you catch my drift.”

The ghost beamed brightly at the words.  Suddenly pushing himself up from his seat by the window sill, and launching himself at Shiro.  A warm tingling feeling flaring on Shiro’s skin as Lance flew into his lap and reached around to hug.

Lance cuddled up to Shiro’s chest contently.

Shiro was pretty sure the dishes’ wouldn’t be done till dinner.

“You think human/ghost kissing is a thing that can happen?”  Lance asked suddenly.

Shiro couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of his throat.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So in the end, Lance decided to stay with Shiro and they feel more in love. And lived happily ever after for the rest of time.
> 
> And it's not really, explained in the story, but the Brownstone was Lance's that he bought. His family is like old money from Cuba that moved to the states and are kind of crazy rich, and stayed that way cause they all know how to invest. But after his death, Lance's family owned the house, and they rent it out of people. Because they don't want to sell it, or really live there because of all the things that have gone down there. Hunk is one of Lance's neighbors and good friend before he died. And Lance did kill the person who killed him, simply because he scared him. He was just trying to scare the other out the house really, like an all evil mean ghost, but that didn't happen.
> 
> I don't know what Shiro does for a job, so you can decided that for yourselves. But I could totally imagine him like writing a book after everything.
> 
> So yeah, I did have another idea for this fic, but it would have been crazy long and no way I would have finished in the time I wanted. Where basically same idea here, only Shiro is tagging all with Keith, Pidge, and Allura on like their supernatural hunting internet show. And they go to Lance's old house, which is rumored to be haunted and no one ever says for all of the say unless it is like during the week. Shiro finds Lance in the attic, and Lance claims to have run away from something, and didn't think any one would be there. Which Shiro has no problem with, because Lance looks kind of roughed up and his avoids Shiro's touch, so instantly Shiro is concerned to the guys safety and lets him stay. And for the whole week not much happens, blah blah blah. Lance hangs with the group, it Friday afternoon things start happening, and Lance gets kind of weird. Turns out the place is haunted by two ghosts, Lance and basically Richard from this story. Only Lance stands up for himself and banishes Richard from the house to prevent him from hurting his new friends, and it works.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
